Pietro's Journey
by Atreyu Nukus
Summary: Pietro goes on a little vacation to 'find himself' and brings home a new friend. Sorry not good at summaries or titles. For people who like to see Magneto as a loving father type.
1. Intro

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the X-men Evolution characters, just Rajah.

Note: The Caiapos are a real Brazilian tribe.

**Intro**

As all hardcore X-men fans know, Magneto lived through the Holocaust as a child. He was born in 1928, so in the year 2006 he's about 78 (although he looks and acts like he's in 30s. Watch X-men Evolution episode 'Operation Rebirth.' The twins are around 16 years old.

And in my fics: Anya is alive, she's 26 years old and is married with a baby boy named Ayden. Wanda was never in the psycho ward, she never had a problem anger wise with her powers. And Magneto was never the heartless parent to his children, like most people write about. The X-Men are still their enemies, but at times they get along. it's a love hate relationship. And Magneto is still trying to get rid of all the humans.


	2. Chapter 1: Truth Or Dare

**Chapter 1: Truth Or Dare**

It was a cold windy Sunday night in Bayville, and Magneto's Brotherhood team were bored out of their minds. They were all in the living room keeping quiet, because Magneto was in his study and didn't want to be disturbed. And no one wanted to make him mad. Lance was flipping through the channels of the TV complaining about how there was nothing good on.

"Why don't we play a game?" Todd said to his teammates.

"A game?" Pietro said in a confused voice. "Todd, we're too old for games."

"Oh come on there's nothing else to do," Todd whined.

"Well what did you wanna play?" Fred asked as he ate his sandwich.

"Uh…" he started.

"Not spin the bottle!" Wanda snapped.

"Dang!" Todd thought some more. "How about a board game?"

"All the pieces are lost to every board game," Pietro piped in.

"Um…well how about…Truth or Dare? It'll be fun. We can learn stuff from one another and make each other do embarrassing things." He added quickly.

They all looked at each other, then shrugged as they got into a circle on the floor. "What about you Wanda?" Pietro asked his twin. "Wanna play?"

Wanda looked down at them from her spot on the chair. Then got down to join them. "I guess. There's nothing else to do."

"Okay, I'll start." Todd began. "Pietro truth or dare?"

"Ooo, I'm gonna go with…truth."

"Hee hee, ok where is the weirdest place that you've ever had sex?"

"That's not a truth question," Lance said.

"Yeah, and who said I wasn't a virgin," he replied, but the only reply he got was laughter.

"Ok well whatever, the weirdest place that I think kinda stands out more—"

"From so many," added Wanda.

"Anyway…would have to be was when I was at a funeral with some girl—"

"How romantic," Wanda piped in again.

"Shut it! Ok well we were in a touchy feely mood so we were looking for a place to get it going on when we went into a room that had a few empty coffins."

"Oh my god Pietro. No!" Lance groaned.

At this moment Erik Lehnsherr a.k.a. Magneto walked into the room behind his son with his arms crossed. Wanda looked up and saw her father.

"Well go on Pietro," she laughed.

"Okay so we into the room of coffins and 'what's her name' opened on of them and we jumped in. And next thing I know we're both naked doing the wild thing," he smiled.

"Pietro I can't believe you," Lance groaned again.

"No, no wait," Pietro said. "That's not all, so we're damn right in the middle when the lid suddenly opens and it's the priest guy and 'what's her name's' old man."

"Oh my god!" Todd laughed. "You've got to be kidding me!"

"Oh no, I'm being totally serious."

"So what happened?" Fred asked.

"Yes Pietro what happened?" Erik repeated, finally making his son aware of his presence.

Pietro whirled around to face his father faster than anything. "Oh hi dad," Pietro said nervously. "What's up? H-how long you been standing there?"

"Long enough Pietro."

"W-well…I…um, long enough to hear me say 'guys what I'm about to say is completely false'."

"No long enough to hear Todd ask you 'truth or dare'."

"Well you missed the part at the beginning of the game when I said 'all of my answers for the truth questions are completely false. A-a-and how I love you and respect you'."

"Oh please, Pietro," Lance said. "That's the lamest excuse I ever heard."

"I know," Todd laughed. "Seriously Pietro you suck at lying."

"Shut up!" Pietro snapped, he then turned back to his father. "Look dad it's not what you think—"

"Okay son, then what exactly is it?" Erik asked him as he stepped closer. "I mean you were asked 'truth or dare,' you chose truth and when your asked a truth question your obviously supposed to tell the truth."

"Well, y-yes but-" Pietro stammered. He turned around glaring at his sister and friends who were all holding in their laughter. "Will you guys shut up!"

Erik uncrossed his arms and gave his son an indication for him to follow him. "Come with me Pietro."

"Dad, come on it's-" Pietro said fearfully.

"Now," Erik said quietly.

"Ooo," the rest of the Brotherhood in unison as Pietro got up reluctantly. He followed his father with his head down as if he was heading off to his execution.

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	3. Chapter 2: A Father Son Talk

**Chapter 2: A Father Son Talk**

Erik used his magnetic powers to open the door to his private study and closed it once his son entered it.

"Please sit down, Son," indicating the seat in front of his desk, as Erik moved behind it to sit in his own chair.

"Pietro…," his father began. Pietro could hear the disappointment in his voice. He hated when he disappointed his father. "What are you thinking?"

He just kept his head down, unsure how to answer him.

"I mean there are so many sexual diseases out there. And what'll happen if you get a girl pregnant? Your to young to be a father?"

"Yeah, but its not like your too young to be a grandfather," Pietro laughed to try and lighten the atmosphere.

Erik gave his son a serious look and said in a dangerous voice: "Pietro, this is not a laughing matter."

Pietro looked down again. "I know I'm sorry dad."

His father rubbed his temples and sighed. "How long has this been going on?"

Pietro looked to the side. And sighed himself.

"Pietro?"

"Since I was 14."

"What!" Erik said in a shocked voice. "You started having sex at 14? What is wrong with you!"

"Dad, I-" Pietro looked up to meet his father's eyes, then quickly looked down again. "I…I don't know. I…I just have these…urges."

"Pietro, I realize that you a teenager. But its-" Erik paused trying to look for the right word. "…dangerous. I don't want you to screw up your life with becoming a teen parent, or…lose you to some disease."

"I know dad, but I'm careful," he said quietly.

"Pietro, condoms are not 100 effective. And do you think some girl is going to come out and tell you that she has a disease?

He didn't answer.

"Do you!" Erik said strongly.

"No," he said in a whisper.

"And if you do get it then what? There are no cures for them? And I hope that you wouldn't pass it on to some other girl."

"But Dad, I...I can't stop. Its hard to-"

"Oh Pietro please. Stop making up excuses."

"No dad, I'm not," the speed demon said in a pleading voice. "I'm being serious. I mean you know how a nymphomaniac is just labeled as a woman's problem. But…but its like I'm the beginning of a males generation of it."

Erik ran a hand through his white hair and gave a sigh. "Well then I think we should fine you some…help."

"No dad, there is no real cure for this," Pietro said to him. "It can't just magically go away with a snap of your finger."

Erik gave his son a serious look and finally asked his son in a sad voice: "then what do you suggest?"

Pietro paused, his mind working faster then anything looking for some solution. "I think that I need a vacation."

"A vacation?" Erik replied in a shocked voice.

"Yeah, something that'll just get me away from everything. And its not just the…girl problem its everything, I feel like I'm suffocating here."

His father listened sympathetically as his son told him his issues. "What do you mean?"

"Well," he paused gathering his thoughts before going on. "You have always provided everything for me, Wanda, and Anya; we've never had to worry about anything. And I admit that I feel like I'm becoming spoiled. I wanna get in touch with…well life. Like I need to find myself. Outside this…place and do something that…well I guess makes a difference. I mean I've been everywhere, to every country. I know what happens outside this world, but I've never lived it. Do you understand?"

"I think so," Erik replied in reluctance. "And I guess this is very important to you."

"Yeah. It kind of is."

"Well, where do you want to go exactly?"

Pietro knew his father wasn't to thrilled with his plan. He hated being away from him and vice versa. But it was something he had to do, it was his calling.

He shifted in his seat. "Well, I know this…tribe in South America. The Caiapos, and they live in the rainforest of Brazil and I was thinking of maybe staying there for a little bit. I mean I'm good friends with them, so I'd be okay."

"What?" His father was shocked to hear his son's plan. "I thought you meant a vacation in like…well somewhere in the states. But to travel to another country, especially to Brazil, to stay with some uncivilized tribe-"

"No dad, their not…uncivilized. Well, they don't have like electricity and the kind of luxuries that we have. But…I've visited them before and-"

"Pietro there are so many dangers out there," Erik said. "There's wild animals, poisonous insects and other creatures."

"Yeah, but dad I know what's out there. I am smart enough to tell the difference between what's dangerous and what isn't. The tribesmen will teach me how to defend myself."

"No."

"What?"

"No. Your not going to Brazil and that's final."

"Dad, I know it'll be hard," Pietro said. "But I gotta get out of here. Or…or I might just snap."

"No. You can to the country somewhere like Colorado or even too Hawaii if you want to unwind. But _not _to Brazil."

Pietro could feel his temper rising. "That's not fair!"

"Don't you dare take that tone with me!" He replied in a threatening voice. Pietro quickly looked away from his father's angry face.

Erik took a second to calm down and looked at his son. He knew that his son was no longer a child and was a very independent person, but to have him so far away without any real way of contacting him. And if Pietro was in trouble he could always use his powers to get away from any danger. _Eventually Pietro will be old enough to be on his own_, Erik thought. _It was hard enough when Anya went to college. But this was my only son._

"Exactly how long did you plan on being away?" he asked his son.

Pietro sighed and stood up. "Never mind dad. Just forget that I said anything."

"No Pietro, just-" Erik said in a calm voice, but Pietro was already out the door. Erik rubbed his face and sighed.

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	4. Chapter 3: Wanda's Two Cents

**Chapter 3: Wanda's Two Cents**

Wanda came out of the kitchen just as her twin walked out of their father's study.

"How'd it go? I didn't hear any yelling?" she said trying to make him smile as she saw his disappointing face. "At least your still alive."

Pietro didn't even look at her as he headed up to his room. "I'm fine," he mumbled in response.

She gave him a worried look. "Pietro are you okay?" Her brother was usually the kind of person that was always energetic and was never…well upset about anything.

He paused for a second, still not looking at her. "Yeah, I'll be okay." Then continued up the stairs.

Wanda stared at her brother until he was out of her view. She then walked over to her father's study and knocked softly on the door. She entered when she heard a quiet reply from Erik to come in.

"Dad, is Pietro okay?" Wanda asked in a concerned tone. "He wasn't really himself, he looked kind of upset."

Erik looked at his daughter with a sad expression. "I…well…," he trailed off.

"Dad, what's going on?" she asked as she sat down in the chair that Pietro previously occupied.

"Pietro feels a little cooped up here and wants to take a vacation…to Brazil to live with some…tribe he knows in the rainforest."

Wanda just stared at her father. "And?" She eventually said.

"Wanda, he wants to go off to stay at some savage place for who knows how long." He said in a voice that was mixed with shock from his daughter's tone and fear at the separation from his son.

"Dad I understand that your worried about him, but this is Pietro." She said in a understanding tone. "He…he can take care of himself, he has the knowledge of well everything, like all survival skills of everything. He would be fine and if anything happened he would be here in a heartbeat."

"Yes, but Wanda-"

"Dad, he will be fine," she said. "You gotta let go. And I've noticed lately that Pietro seems a little worn down I guess. Like something's missing with him."

Magneto was always a man of strength, he was brave and never showed weakness, since having been raised by him she knew this, but Wanda knew her father's unemotionally composure was coming undone at the fact of his son's need to leave.

"I know," he replied with reluctance. "I've noticed too."

Knowing her father needed to be alone with his thoughts, she quietly got up and left.

* * *

Pietro was laying on his bed with his arms behind his head, and staring at the ceiling when he heard a knock at his door. _Probably Wanda wanting to know what's wrong_, Pietro thought.

"Come in," he called. He was surprised when the visitor actually turned out to be his father. "Hey."

"Alright Pietro," Erik said in a defeated voice. "If it really means that much to you, then you can go."

"No dad, it's okay."

"Pietro I want you to be happy. And if this is what you need to do to find yourself, then its fine with me."

"Are you serious?" He asked in an unsure tone.

"Yeah, I'll survive without you for a while."

"Wow. Thanks dad," Pietro smiled. "This really means a lot."

"So how long did you plan on leaving?"

Pietro was reluctant to respond, knowing his father wouldn't be to thrilled with his answer. "Well since school ends in a couple of weeks, I was thinking of leaving then and maybe….stay the whole summer."

_The whole summer_, his father thought.

"I'll write to you guys all the time," Pietro added quickly.

Magneto was quiet for a minute, which seemed like an eternity to Pietro. "O-okay."

"Dad I'll be fine."

"I know you will, you're my son," Erik smiled, causing his son to smile too. He then reached over and pulled Pietro into a hug.

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	5. Chapter 4: Breaking The News

**Chapter 4: Breaking The News**

It was now Monday and the Brotherhood were sitting outback of the school on the benches enjoying their lunch period.

"So Pietro," Wanda started. "How did it go yesterday with dad?"

"Yeah, did daddy ground you?" Todd laughed. "Or is he making you do extra training, without powers."

"Well no we kind of had a different talk."

"What do ya mean?" Fred asked while he was eating his triple decker sandwich.

Pietro took a sip of his pop and took a deep breath. "I explained to him about how I needed a little vacation from this society."

"A vacation?" Rogue said as she sat down next to her fellow Goth friend, Wanda.

"Yeah, I'm just getting so sick of…everything. I need to get in touch with the outside world." He knew none of them would really understand what he was feeling, no one ever did.

"Gee, Pie, that's…touching," Lance said in a sympathetic voice. "Your such a woman."

Pietro gave me a threatening look and punch his arm hard. "Shut up you ass!"

"Pie, are you being serious?" Wanda asked. "You really feel _suffocated _here?"

"Yeah."

"But what about school?"

"Well, I wouldn't leave until vacation began."

Todd threw his tongue out and caught a fly, then looked at Pietro. "So where you going? And how long would you be gone?"

The speed demon shifted in his seat and looked at his friends. "Well I was gonna go live with this tribe I know in Brazil…for the whole summer."

"The whole summer!" They all said in unison.

"What did Mags say?" Lance asked after getting over his shock.

"He wasn't up to the idea…at all. But he eventually said okay."

"Dang," Fred said.

Suddenly the school bell rang, signaling the end of lunch. They all got up and gathered up their garbage and threw it in the bin.

"Gee, I wish I could go on a far away vacation," Todd said as he grabbed his books.

"Toad, ya got legs," Pietro said to his amphibian friend. "Go for it."

"Nah to much work," he replied in defeat. They all split up to go to their own classrooms.

* * *

After school they all piled into Pietro's silver Camaro (a little gift from his daddy) and he sped off to the Brotherhood's home.

"Pietro, please will ya slow down for once," Wanda said groggily as she got out. "The house ain't going anywhere."

"Oh Wanda you worry too much," he said back. They all got out of the car and went into the house. "Oh, I can't wait until schools out."

"Why so you can go off to Brazil?" Wanda asked.

"Well that and because I'm sick of learning things that already know how to do," Pietro complained. "I mean I know how to do stuff that even the teachers don't know."

"We know Pietro. We know," Lance said. "Your so smart that you could have graduated from college at the age of 7."

"Well I don't like to brag, but yeah."

"Don't like to brag my butt," Fred muttered quietly.

* * *

Four days later Erik went out to get the mail and looking through it he spotted Pietro's airline ticket that he ordered for him. He sighed and went into the house to his study. Time went by when he heard the screeching tires of his son's car. _Goodbye peace and quiet_, he thought.

"Ugh, I am so sick of my math class. Mr. Wice is an idiot," Erik heard his daughter complain.

"I know," Lance replied. "I was so happy to get out of his class last year."

"And I'm sure it was vice versa," Pietro said.

"Yeah probably."

"Well, I'm hungry," Fred called out as he started of to the kitchen.

"We know," everyone said in unison as Erik walked into the living room with the plane ticket in hand.

"Here Pietro, this came in the mail." He handed his son his mail. Using his super speed, Pietro opened the envelop and pulled out his ticket. "What's this? I didn't order my ticket yet."

"I know I ordered it for you on Sunday night."

"Thanks dad."

"I still can't believe your going," Wanda said to her brother.

"Why don't you come to?"

"No thanks Pie. I'm not going somewhere with no electricity or running water, and you have to go to the bathroom behind a tree or bush."

"Party pooper."

"I wanna go to…._France _or something," Wanda said hinting to her father. But before he said anything Pietro spoke up.

"Honestly Wanda it's no different in France. The only real difference is that France has more frogs then South America's rainforests," he laughed.

"Ooo, _burn_!" Todd said, catching another fly with is tongue.

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	6. Chapter 5: Goodbye Pietro

**Chapter 5: Goodbye Pietro Bring Us Back Something**

School was finally out for the summer, meaning it was time for Pietro to say goodbye to his friends and family. He had one more night to go, because his plane left at 11:45 am the next day. Pietro heard a knock on his door as he put his luggage together on the floor.

"Come in."

His father entered.

"Are you all packed?" he said sadly as he walked over to sit on his son's bed.

"Yeah. But I don't really need that much," Pietro replied as he looked at his dad. "Don't worry the summer will just fly by and I'll be back before you know it."

"I hope so. I don't know if I can survive with all them. I might just go hideout in Germany till school starts again."

"And leave Wanda here alone with _them_. She would hunt you down."

"I suppose I could take her with me, but I doubt she would enjoy it." Erik stood up and patted his son on the back. "Alright. Get some sleep."

"Night dad."

"Night Whirl-Wind," Erik replied as he kissed his son on the forehead and left.

* * *

It was 10:00 am when Pietro's alarm went off, excited about his soon to be freedom he quickly got up, dressed and went off to take a shower. Finishing, he went down stairs to get some breakfast, luckily everyone especially Fred where still sleeping so there would be enough for him to eat.

He sat at the kitchen table eating a bowel of cereal and looked around, taking in everything. He was happy to get out of here, but he would still miss this place. _It'll only be for 3 months_, he thought. _It's time for me to look forward to a time of relaxation._

Half an hour later he heard a couple of doors open and close, then the sound of walking down the stairs. Wanda, Toad, and Lance came into the kitchen getting their own breakfast. If there is one thing he learned from living here is that no one is a morning person…well besides him.

Once everyone settled down to the table he asked a question that would hopefully waken them all up. "So what are you all doing this summer?"

"They'll be getting summer jobs," came the voice of his father. Erik walked in and went to work on making his morning coffee.

"Oh come on dad," Wanda whined. "Its summer, time to have fun not work."

"Well in order to have _legal _fun you need money," he replied. "Money that I am sick of wasting on all your shenanigans."

"Shenanigans?" Pietro snorted. "Now that's a word you don't hear often."

* * *

By the time Pietro was ready to leave for the airport Fred woke up. And after he had his breakfast, that was enough to feed a third world country, he helped Pietro put his luggage in Erik's car.

"Alright time for the goodbyes," Pietro smiled. He went to Fred first and gave him a hug, then Lance, and just shook Todd's hand which was enough for him. "Goodbye you guys, I'll miss ya."

He looked a Todd's face. "Don't worry I'll bring you all back something." Todd smiled.

Pietro got into the car with Wanda and their dad. They waved a final goodbye as the car drove off, then went inside.

"It's gonna be quiet around here without Pietro to bug us," Todd said.

"Yeah, but you know I think he was a little crazy to just go off like that," Lance replied sitting on the couch in the living room. "I mean I can understand about the vacation part, but to Brazil for the whole summer."

Fred sat down on his favorite lounge chair. "I agree."

"Oh well, nothing we can do about it now," Todd said. "At least we have the whole summer to play pranks on the X-Geeks."

* * *

It was a quiet drive to the airport, each one enjoying their last moments together. After a while of silence Erik spoke up. "Pietro are you sure you have everything?"

"Yeah. don't worry dad, I didn't forget anything."

"Alright."

They eventually pulled into a parking lot at the airport. Each one grabbing some of Pietro's luggage they walked through the main doors. And after a while of going around in circles and wrong turns, they finally made it to the waiting area of Pietro's plane.

"There is seriously nothing more confusing than an airport," Wanda said in a huff.

"I totally concur," her brother said tiredly. "But at least we don't have to wait long."

Erik sat down between his children, and turned to his mutant son. "Well I guess this is it. I want you to be very very careful out there, Whirl-Wind."

"I will dad, I promise."

"Yeah, and don't bring back any disease or virus," Wanda smiled.

"Thanks for caring, Sis."

"Now boarding rows: A to G for non-stop flight to Brazil," the boarding lady announced 10 minutes later.

"Is that you Pietro?" Wanda asked.

"Yeah."

He hugged his sister goodbye. "See ya soon sis. Try not to kill Toad while I'm gone."

"Which reminds me, try and find something like a potion or whatever to make him not be in love with me anymore."

"I'll see what I can do." Pietro then turned to his father. "Dad, I'm gonna miss you. But I'll be back soon."

Erik pulled his son into a big hug. "Be safe my son."

Pietro looked at his father and sister sadly, then grabbed his carry-on and boarded the plane. Erik and Wanda stayed there until the plane took off.

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	7. Chapter 6: Welcome Home Pietro

**Chapter 6: Welcome Home Pietro**

At the Brotherhood home in Bayville the summer seemed to last for a year. They all had to admit, even Lance, that it was even more boring here without Pietro. It was worst at the fact that Magneto made them all get summer jobs and still had to do training. But they all looked forward to today, because Pietro was finally coming home. _Plus he's bringing us all something home_, Todd thought selfishly.

Wanda and Erik left a half an hour ago to go pick him up at the airport. Pietro wrote too them as often as he could, describing all the things he's done. And how much better he feels being away from the city life. But he was ready to come home to see his family.

"Todd put the banner up higher," Lance said as he put the balloons up. Todd jumped up high and slapped the edge of the 'Welcome Home Pietro' banner so the tape would stick to the wall. "Fred you done with blowing up the balloons?"

"Yeah. Now why are we doing this again?"

"Because Pietro is our friend," Todd replied. "And we miss him."

"And Wanda's making us," Lance said.

* * *

The Lehnsherr family was now in the waiting area where Pietro's plane is supposed to pull in. Wanda looked all around the airport's runway and finally spotted her brother's plane come up to the platform. "Here he is. Ready dad." 

"I've been waiting for 3 months."

They got up from their chairs like the others who were waiting for their friends and family, and watched anxiously for Pietro to walk out of the tunnel.

"There he is," Wanda announced in excitement as she saw her twin coming up to them. Erik studied his son, he was dirty and his clothes were even worse, but he looked happier. The speed demon stretched his arms out and wrapped them around his father and sister giving them a big hug.

"Hiya! Ya miss me," Pietro said with a big smile.

"You could say that," Wanda said sheepishly. "At least you don't smell as bad, as I thought."

"Yeah well I wish I could say the same to the people sitting next to me on the plane."

"Was it bad?" Erik asked.

"Oh yeah, but not as worse as Toad."

They walked away from the waiting room and headed downstairs to go pick up his luggage. Luckily most of his stuff was together so they didn't have too wait long.

"Is that everything?" Erik asked looking at his son.

Pietro looked at his father reluctantly and shuffled his foot. "Well not exactly. You guys stay here I'll be right back."

Erik and Wanda shared a confused look as Pietro walked away. He came back 10 minutes later carrying a folder of papers in one hand and a cage with a blanket over it in the other.

Erik gave his son a very disapproving look. "Pietro what is _that_?"

"Uh…I'll tell ya later. Let's go, I wanna go home and take a shower." Pietro started to walk off but his father stopped him.

"Son, what is in the cage? That had better not be an animal."

"Dad its okay. Don't worry."

Wanda was curious as to what her brother had in the cage. But seeing that he wouldn't say anything now, she led the group out to the parking lot, with Pietro behind her, and their father in tow giving his son a _look_.

"I'll sit in the back," Pietro said as he opened the car door and put the mysterious cage gently in the back seat.

"That's okay," Wanda said. She wanted to see what her twin was hiding.

"No, I will. I don't want you to peak inside the cage."

"Oh come on Pie. What is it?" She asked in a pleading tone. "_Is _it an animal?" She whispered so their father couldn't hear.

"You'll have to wait and see," he replied with a wink, making Wanda smile.

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	8. Chapter 7: Rajah

**Chapter 7: Rajah**

Erik took his time on the drive home and listened to some of Pietro's tales of his time in Brazil. He occasionally heard a scratching and a shuffling noise from the cage when there was a pause of silence. He just sighed and continued driving. Forty minutes later their car pulled into the driveway of the Brotherhood home. They all piled out, the cage in Pietro's hand, everyone grabbing some luggage again and trudged into the house.

"Welcome home Pietro!" Fred and Todd yelled when Pietro came inside. Noticing that Lance didn't say anything, Todd elbowed him in the side, causing Lance to just shrug his shoulders.

"Oh thanks guys," Pietro smiled at his friends. "Love the decorations."

They all went into the living room dumping the luggage on the floor. Pietro sat on the floor putting the cage down gently next to him. The rest all sat around him on the furniture, but Wanda joined him on the floor looking anxiously at the cage.

_Whatever's in there it's alive_, Wanda thought as she listened to something moving in the cage.

"So how was it? Did you 'find yourself' in the jungle? What was it like?" Everyone asked at once.

Pietro listened to all his friends questions and answered them as best he could. "It was fun, but there was a lot of work that I helped out with. Like building stuff, hunting, etc. But yea, I did 'find myself.' I feel so much better."

"Good," Erik said. "Because you are not leaving like that again."

Pietro looked up at his dad. "Was it that bad without me?" His father nodded.

"Oh well," Pietro told him. "I've had my fun. I'm good."

"Pietro, what'd ya bring us?" Todd asked bouncing in his chair.

"Todd, shut up!" Lance snapped.

Pietro smiled and reached over dragging a large piece of his luggage. "Alright, alright."

He opened it up and pulled out a big framed container that had 25 different types of colorful exotic bugs pinned down. "This is for you Toad Boy. I collected these when I could, I thought maybe you could put this on your wall…or eat them. They're nonpoisonous."

Todd had a huge grin on his face when Pietro handed him his gift. He reached back in his bag and handed his sister a beautiful scarlet necklace. "The family that I was staying with, the mother made this for you."

"Oh thanks Pie," she said to her twin.

Pietro then pulled out a container filled with various types of food from Brazil for Fred. He handed it to Fred warily; hoping he wouldn't get his hand bitten off. Fred immediately opened the container and started eating. "Thanks," he said between bites.

He then handed Lance a Jukia. "It's a guitar native to that part of Brazil," Pietro explained.

"Oh cool," Lance said grabbing the guitar gently. He strummed the strings producing a different sound from a regular guitar. "Thanks man."

"And dad for you-"

"Pietro you didn't have to get me anything," Erik said interrupting his son.

"No, I wanted to get you all something," Pietro said back as he dug in his bag. He finally pulled out a fragile sculpture of a man. "This is Arhim. This is the Caiapos' head God. They believe he created everything."

"Oh thank you Pietro," his father said to him, accepting the gift carefully. Suddenly there was a scratching coming from the cage and some weird noise that sounded like a growl.

"What's that?" Todd asked finally becoming aware of the cage.

"Yes will you finally tell us what's in there?" Erik asked reluctantly.

"Okay but before I tell you I gotta tell you what happened first," Pietro paused gathering his thoughts together. "It all started about a few weeks before I had to come home. And a few of the villager men and I were walking in the forest when we heard this weak growling noise. We carefully went over to see what it was and there was a black panther lying on the ground and she was going into labor. But she was weak, and needed help. So we did what we could for her, she had 5 cubs, but she unfortunately didn't survive. We took the cubs to the village. This has happened before, so the villagers knew what to do, they helped several orphaned animals before. So I helped nurse them back to help, especially this one cub. She was an actual albino panther, her fur was whiter than snow and she had beautiful blue eyes. An albino panther has _never _been discovered before."

Pietro looked at his father who had an angry look on his face. _That had better not be what I think it is_, Erik thought.

Pietro went back to telling his story. "So as the weeks went by the cubs had become strong enough to walk and everything. And as a way to thank me for all that I did to help, the chief…gave me something. And I had to accept it or else the chief and the tribe would be insulted."

"Pietro that had better not be what I think it is!" Erik said through his clenched teeth.

He didn't look at his father, instead he lifted the blanket off the cage and opened the door. Out came a little albino panther cub with bright blue eyes, looking around at the room's occupants, she then plopped herself down next to Pietro.

"Oh she is so cute," Wanda squealed. "What's her name?"

"It's Rajah."

"That's the name of the tiger on Aladdin," Todd pointed out.

"Yeah, I know. I thought it would be a nice name for her though."

"Pietro," his father started quietly. "That is a wild animal. You are not keeping it."

"No dad-"

"Pietro no! Get rid of her."

"I can't take her back to Brazil, she's not old enough to be on her own. I had to take her or the tribe would be mad."

"Then put her in a zoo."

"Dad you know how I feel about zoos!"

"Son, that is a wild animal. What'll happen when she gets older and attacks us?" He asked.

"Its kind of hard to explain, but she's not really like a regular panther. She understands things, we've bonded over our time together."

"Pietro-"

"Just give her a chance," Pietro pleaded. Rajah then got up and walked over to Erik and rubbed against his leg. "See she likes you."

Erik got up and stepped over the cub, then walked to his study and shut the door.

Pietro sighed. "This is gonna be harder than I thought."

"Come here Rajah. Here kitty kitty kitty," Wanda called. Rajah happily trotted over to her master's sister. Wanda then looked up at her brother. "She won't bite or hurt me, will she?"

"No. She's not dangerous, not like the others."

Wanda smiled down at the cute little cub and started to pet her. "Oh my gosh, she is so soft."

The others got down on the floor and formed a circle around Rajah, who was enjoying the attention. Knowing she would be fine, Pietro reluctantly made a walk to his father's study.

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	9. Chapter 8: She's Staying!

**Chapter 8: She's Staying!**

Pietro took a deep breath and walked into his father's study and shut the door. Magneto was at his desk reading a book, not acknowledging his son's entrance.

"Come on dad."

"Pietro, I said no," he replied strictly, looking up from his book. Pietro quickly moved over and sat on the chair in front of the desk.

"Dad if you just give her a chance-"

"Pietro, does anything I say get through to you? That is a wild animal! She may be cute now, but she'll get bigger and realize that _we _are food."

"Dad-"

Wanda came rushing into the room, Rajah in her arms, with the guys in tow. "Dad we're keeping her."

"Wanda!" Magneto said firmly.

"Just hold her," she replied, walking around the desk and pushing the cub into her father's arms. Rajah looked up at him, her blue eyes meeting his. Erik reluctantly held the now purring cub, then looked at the other occupants in the room.

"See she likes you," Pietro smiled.

Erik sighed in defeat, then put the cub on the ground. "If she shows any signs of becoming dangerous, she's gone! Do you understand?"

"Yes, dad. I promise she'll be good. She'll be are version of a guard dog."

Wanda reached down and scooped up the new member of the family and left with the others. Pietro got up to leave as well, but his father called him back.

"Pietro she's your responsibility, she had better not destroy anything _or _attack anyone."

"I understand."

Erik sighed and leaned back in his chair. "But don't you have to have some kind of permit or did you plan on hiding her for as long as you can?"

"No," Pietro smiled. "I already got all the stuff done, she is now a legal member of the family."

"How much is this panther going to cost me?"

"Dad, this isn't about money? This is about your only son's happiness…" He trailed off when he saw his father's face. He sat back down on the chair. "Well on matter what a vet says she wouldn't need all the shots that they think, the only real thing is meat."

"Meat? Like hamburger meat?"

"Yeah, any kind really. As long as she gets a certain amount of pounds of it. Other than that she'll be fine."

"Alright. And I _don't _want you to teach her to go after Xavier's team."

"Yeah, that'd be too easy," he called back as he left the study. Erik smiled at his son and went back to his book.

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